The footage also showed experiments that many argue were unnecessary or outdated. Animals were force-fed chemicals, injected with toxic substances, and restrained for long periods as researchers observed their suffering. For critics, this was not science—it was cruelty disguised as research.
Animal rights organizations quickly condemned Covance, demanding accountability and a shift toward humane alternatives. Protests, petitions, and campaigns followed, urging governments and companies to cut ties with the laboratory. Meanwhile, supporters of the investigation emphasized that modern technology—such as advanced computer models, organ-on-a-chip systems, and human cell testing—could replace many of these outdated methods without inflicting pain on sentient creatures.
The Covance exposé serves as a painful reminder that behind sterile laboratory walls lie countless animals enduring lives of fear and suffering. While defenders argue animal testing is necessary for medicine and safety, the investigation has made one fact clear: society must face the moral cost of such practices and question whether cruelty is ever justified in the name of progress.
